How to ID a .50 cal bullet ?

[trailbiker]

Can anybody tell me if it's at all possible to ID .50 calibre bullets by weight ? I have lots of ground dug ones, but apart from the obvious double canulure and blue tipped ones the others I can't identify as they have no discernible tip markings. Apparently I've been told that not many of them are likely to be just ball rounds. I have a current section 5 Firearms Certificate to legally hold all types of prohibited ammunition, but really need to ID as many as possible so I don't fall foul of the law. I see that the bullet weight is in grains, so can anyone recommend a set of scales to do the job, providing of course that this idea will work ?
Thanks for any help, Richard

 

[kiwieod]

if they were unfired it may be possible(you could measure them as well),but during firing and on striking the ground they will have lost some weight and become distorted so accurate ID will not be possible.
digital scales that ammunition reloaders use would be good but they will have to go up to 800 grains as most .50cal projectiles are around 700-750 grains.you can also get an accurate scale that measures in grams then convert it to grains
xray will be the only sure way

 

[Tony Williams]

I recently bought very small electronic scale specifically for measuring small-arms ammunition components. It measures up to 100 g (1,543 grains) which is double what you need for a .50 bullet, so there's a safe margin. Minimum weight is 0.01 g (0.15 grains). The readout cycles through grams, grains, carats and dwt (whatever that is!) at the press of a button, so you don't have to do any conversion calculations. I haven't used it much to date but it seems to work as advertised.

You can see it here (there are other suppliers): https://www.ourweigh.co.uk/pocket-m...es-100g.html?gclid=CKXnhPngi88CFWoz0wodVlMJKA

 

[smle2009]

dwt...could be dead weight tonnage but as this is for ship cargo loads I dont think so :xd: in the case of your scales it is the abbreviation for 'pennyweight' which is 24 grains,d being the original designation for a penny over here ie £ s d

Tony

 

[Tony Williams]

Fascinating the things you can learn on this forum!

 

[trailbiker]

Thanks for all the replies. So it seems as though accurate ID of the bullets isn't really feasible then. I might just purchase those scales mentioned anyway, as they're not too expensive. Another question I have regarding .50 bullets is that quite a lot of them, although they have been fired don't appear to have any rifling marks on them. Is this because the barrel has become worn ?

 

[trailbiker]

I bought a set of scales (see link above) and they are just what I needed to ID the bullets. Amazing how a whole row of .50 cal bullets, all looking exactly the same can vary in weight. Managed to ID 14 that I think should've been locked away. Have erred on the side of caution, rather lock them away than find myself in trouble for not doing it !